Deracoxib (trade name Deramaxx) is a

nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are members of a therapeutic drug class which reduces pain, decreases inflammation, decreases fever, and prevents blood clots. Side effects depend on the specific drug, its dose and duration of ...

(NSAID) of the

coxib COX-2 inhibitors are a type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that directly targets cyclooxygenase-2, COX-2, an enzyme responsible for inflammation and pain. Targeting selectivity for COX-2 reduces the risk of peptic ulceration and ...

class, used in dogs to treat pain associated with

osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of degenerative joint disease that results from breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone which affects 1 in 7 adults in the United States. It is believed to be the fourth leading cause of disability in the w ...

, or to prevent pain following orthopedic or dental surgery. It is available as beef-flavored tablets.

Medical uses

Deracoxib is used in dogs for the control of pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and for the prevention of pain following orthopedic surgery or dental procedures. In cats, the use of deracoxib is not recommended.

Contraindications

Deracoxib is contraindicated for treatment of dogs with hypersensitivity to deracoxib or other

NSAID Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are members of a therapeutic drug class which reduces pain, decreases inflammation, decreases fever, and prevents blood clots. Side effects depend on the specific drug, its dose and duration of ...

s, and dogs with gastro-intestinal ulcers, renal disease, hepatic disorders, hypoproteinemia, dehydration, or cardiac disease. Dogs with renal disease may need dose adjustment (if the benefits of the medication outweigh the risks), while those on concurrent diuretic therapy are at increased risk for NSAID toxicity and should not be given this medication. The concurrent use of deracoxib with steroids or other NSAIDs should be avoided. The safety of deracoxib has not been established in pregnant or nursing dogs or in dogs younger than 4 months of age.

Adverse effects

The most common adverse effects of treatment with deracoxib are vomiting, anorexia, lethargy and depression. Other adverse effects of deracoxib are caused by its effects on the

gastrointestinal tract The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organ (biology), organs of the digestive syste ...

, and include erosions or ulcerations of the lining of the stomach or intestines. Serious adverse effects, including ulcers which perforate the gastrointestinal tract, have occurred in dogs administered higher than recommended doses of deracoxib, or dogs administered deracoxib at the same time as (or soon after) other

s or

corticosteroid Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced in the adrenal cortex of vertebrates, as well as the synthetic analogues of these hormones. Two main classes of corticosteroids, glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, are involv ...

medications. Documented adverse side effects include serious and sometimes fatal organ system damage or failure. Other side effects include increase in drinking or urination, jaundice, bloody or black stools, pale gums, hot spots, increased respiration (fast or heavy breathing), incoordination, and behavior changes.

Pharmacology

Deracoxib is a coxib class

(NSAID). Like other NSAIDs, its effects are caused by inhibition of

cyclooxygenase Cyclooxygenase (COX), officially known as prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase (PTGS), is an enzyme (specifically, a family of isozymes, ) that is responsible for formation of prostanoids, including thromboxane and prostaglandins such as prosta ...

(COX) enzymes. At the doses used to treat dogs, deracoxib causes greater inhibition of than of , but at doses twice those recommended for use in dogs, deracoxib significantly inhibits as well. In dogs, the

half-life Half-life (symbol ) is the time required for a quantity (of substance) to reduce to half of its initial value. The term is commonly used in nuclear physics to describe how quickly unstable atoms undergo radioactive decay or how long stable ato ...

of deracoxib at the recommended dose is three hours.

Society and culture

In the U.S., deracoxib was first approved for use in dogs in 2002, under the trade name Deramaxx chewable tablets, sold by Novartis Animal Health.

References

{{Prostanoidergics Dog medications Pyrazoles COX-2 inhibitors Novartis brands Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Organofluorides Sulfonamides Fluoroarenes